It looks smooth but there is no flange mount surface. It looks flush with the entire intake and exhaust pipe face. I've never seen the intake/exhaust from any other chevy but I would think there should be some type of flange mount surface that is built up beyond what I have on this intake/exhaust. I'm hopeful it isn't the head that isn't flat. If that is the case, the back up intake/exhaust I orderd from Denton Texas might solve the leak problem. If it's the head, then I'm in deep trouble...